Method for electrically stimulating the human brain

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for electrically stimulating the human brain which includes applying electrodes directly to the cerebellum and feeding electrical impulses to such electrodes with a view to aiding individuals suffering from intractable hypertonia, epilepsy and other ailments, said electrical impulses having a duration of from 0.5 to 2.5 milliseconds, an ampliude of from 0.5 to 14.0 volts, and a frequency of from 1 to 300 pulses per second.

United States Patent [191 Cooper 1 [4 1 Nov. 11, 1975 METHOD FORELECTRICALLY STIMULATING THE HUMAN BRAIN Irving S. Cooper, 4422 ThirdAve., Bronx, NY. 10457 Filed: Jan. 31, 1974 Appl. No.: 438,433

Inventor:

US. Cl 128/422; 128/420 Int. Cl. A61N 1/36 Field of Search 128/419 R,420, 421, 422,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1955 Shaw 3/1 5/1967 128/21 R6/1969 Doyle 3/1 10/1972 Brindley et a1 128/419 R ELECTRODES RECEIVERS3,735,756 5/1973 Richards et a1 128/421 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Smith et al.,American Journal of Medical Electronics, Jan.-Mar., 1965, pp. 38-41.

Primary Examiner-William E. Kamm [5 7] ABSTRACT A method and apparatusfor electrically stimulating the human brain which includes'applyingelectrodes directly to the cerebellum and feeding electrical impulses tosuch electrodes with a view to aiding individuals suffering fromintractable hypertonia, epilepsy and other ailments, said electricalimpulses having a duration of from 0.5 to 2.5 milliseconds, an ampliudeof from 0.5 to 14.0 volts, and a frequency of from 1 to 300 pulses persecond.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ANTENNA US. Patent Nov.1l, 1975 Sheet10f23,918,461

ELECTRODES ANTENNA RECEIVERS TRANSMITTER FIG.I

US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,918,461

PIC-3.2

VgLTgGE KEYED C NT OLLED o OSCILLATOR MULTIVIBRATOR FREE RUNNINGSYMMETRICAL MULTIVIBRATOR Z8NQ%JELLED KEYED o 'ONBSHOT OSCILLATORMULTIVIBRATOR TRANSMITTER 2 Q TRIGGER RECEIVER 1 METHOD FOR ELECTRICALLYSTIMULATING THE HUMAN BRAIN This invention pertains to a technique forelectrically stimulating the human brain to alleviate certain disorders,and more particularly applying electrical impulses to the cerebellum ofthe brain.

There are substantial numbers of people who suffer from disorders suchas intractable hypertonia, epilepsy and related ailments. Although drugshave been used to alleviate the symptoms of such ailments, there areunfortunately cases where the drugs are ineffective or must be used insuch massive doses as to cause depression and drowsiness in the patient.

It is also possible to alleviate such symptoms in some cases by means ofsurgery. However, surgery involves the risk of an adverse outcome and isirreversible.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide atechnique to alleviate the symptoms of ailments such as hypertonia,epilepsy, stroke and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved technique fortreating the symptoms of such ailments without recourse to massive dosesof drugs or to irreversible surgery.

Briefly, the invention contemplates a method of treating particularhuman ailments by applying to the cerebellum electrical pulses having aspecified range of frequencies, amplitudes and duration.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when read with the accompanying drawing, where:

FIG. I shows a schematic representation of apparatus for practicing theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a transmitter; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a receiver utilized in the invention.

The apparatus of the instant invention comprises two sets of electrodesimplanted in the head of the patient; with each set being in directcontact with the neocerebellum and the paleocerebellum respectively. Theelectrodes 10 are connected via signal leads 12 to a pair of receivers14 embedded in the chest of the patient, the signal leads being internalto the patient.

Opposite the implanted receivers 14 is an antenna 16 connected via anexternal signal lead 18 to an external transmitter 20. In operation, thetransmitter 20 emits signals which are fed via signal lead 18 to antenna16 which radiates the signals to the implanted receivers 14, which inturn transmit voltage pulses via implanted signal leads 12 to implantedelectrodes 10 More specifically, the signals received by electrodes 10are voltage pulses which stimulate the indicated portions of thecerebellum.

It has been found that voltage pulses which are rectangular in waveformand have durations of from 0.5 milliseconds to 2.5 milliseconds; andpreferably, 1.0 milliseconds lead to good results when their amplitudesare between 0.5 and 14 volts.

The pulse repetition rate is a function of the ailment being treated. Inthe case of epilepsy, the pulse repetion rate should be of the order of10.0 pulses per second with pulse amplitudes of 5.0 to 10.0 volts.

When treating hypertonia, the pulse repetition rate should be in theorder of from l00 to 200 pulses per second with pulse amplitudes of 10.0to 14.0 volts. Furthermore, it has been found in some cases of epilepsy,it is desirable to feed alternate bursts of pulses to the electrodes sothat the paleocerebellum and neocerebellum are continuously, butalternately stimulated. It has been found that such bursts should have aduration of from about 1 minute to about 30 minutes, and preferablyabout 8 minutes.

In other cases, continuous stimulation may be indicated; while in otherinstances when the patient senses the onset of aura, stimulation isinitiated.

Although the individual components of the system are well known in theelectronic art; they will be discussed for the sake of completeness.

The transmitter 20 shown in FIG. 2 can be a twochannel transmittingdevice wherein each channel comprises a keyed oscillator, i.e. a sinewave oscillator of which when turned or keyed on, emits a packet ofcarrier signals. The oscillator each channel has a different carrierfrequency. Each ofthe keyed oscillators can be driven by a voltagecontrolled one shot multivibrator, i.e. a multivibrator, which, as longas it receives a control voltage, emits, say 1.0 millisecond pulseshaving the desired repetition rate.

The voltage controlled one shot multivibrator can be controlled by afurther symmetrical free running multivibrator or similarly functioningcircuit with a pair of out of phase outputs, each being connected to oneof the voltage controlled one shot multivibrators.

The symmetrical multivibrator is dimensioned to change state andconsequently energize alternate outputs at the desired frequency, e.g.once every 8.0 minutes. Thus, it can be seen that the transmitter 20feeds to antenna 16 1.0 millisecond packets of carrier signal whereinthe carrier signal has a first frequency for all packets occuring duringone 8.0 minute interval, and a second frequency for all packets occuringduring the next 8.0 minute interval. Astable multivibrators with aperiod of 8.0 minutes, may also be used.

Antenna 16 can be fixed to the exterior of the patients chest by meansof adhesive tape or the like; or, can be implanted subcutaneously, inwhich case, the transmitter 20 should be easily detachable from lead 18.

The receivers 14 shown in FIG. 3 can be identical except for operatingfrequency. Each receiver can comprise: a tuned amplifier tuned to eitherthe first or second frequency; an envelope (conventional AM) detectorconnected to the output of the amplifier; and a Schmitt trigger circuitcoupled to the output of the envelope detector for amplifying andsquaring the output of the envelope detector.

Thus, each receiver alternately omits pulses which are fed viasubcutaneous leads tunnelled from the anterior chest wall to theposterior fossa and then to their respective sets of electrodes 10directly contacting the cerebellum.

The electrodes 10 are essentially 4 pairs of platinum disc electrodes ona silicon coated mesh of Dacron fiber or the like, applied to theneocerebellum and the paleocerebellum.

The details of the operation for positioning the electrodes with respectto the cerebellum, can be found in the article entitled PhysiologicNeurosurgery at New Yorks St. Barnabas Hospital, pages 32-53 ofContemporary Surgery, Vol. 2, No. 6, June 1973, published by McGrawHill.

Although a specific configuration of the transmitter, receiver andelectrodes has been disclosed; it should be apparent that other deviceswhich can generate the required waveforms for application directly tothe cerebellum, can be used to treat a number of ailments.

Further, while the apparatus has been disclosed for alternatestimulation of the neocerebellum and paleocerebellum. it is possible tostimulate either region alone. or both regions simultaneously. In eachcase there is need for only a single channel transmitter and a singlechannel receiver.

1 claim:

1. A method of stimulating the human brain comprising the steps of:affixing at least one set of electrodes directly to a region of thecerebellum; generating electrical pulses having a duration of from 0.5to 2.5 milliseconds, an amplitude of from 0.5 to 14.0 volts and afrequency of from 1 to 300 pulses per second; and applying the generatedelectrical pulses to said electrode.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein a first set of electrodes are affixedto the paleocerebellum region of the cerebellum and a second set ofelectrodes are affixed to the neocerebellum region of the cerebellum.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein said electrical pulses are alternatelyapplied in bursts to said first and second sets of electrodes.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein each burst of pulses has a duration offrom 1.0 minute to 30.0 minutes.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the duration of the pulses is 1.0millisecond and the pulses have a rectangular waveform.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the pules is 10.0volts and the frequency of the pulses is 200 pulses per second.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the pulses is from5.0 to 10.0 volts and the frequency of the pulses is 10.0 pulses persecond.

1. A method of stimulating the human brain comprising the steps of: affixing at least one set of electrodes directly to a region of the cerebellum; generating electrical pulses having a duration of from 0.5 to 2.5 milliseconds, an amplitude of from 0.5 to 14.0 volts and a frequency of from 1 to 300 pulses per second; and applying the generated electrical pulses to said electrode.
 2. A method as in claim 1 wherein a first set of electrodes are affixed to the paleocerebellum region of the cerebellum and a second set of electrodes are affixed to the neocerebellum region of the cerebellum.
 3. A method as in claim 2 wherein said electrical pulses are alternately applied in bursts to said first and second sets of electrodes.
 4. A method as in claim 3 wherein each burst of pulses has a duration of from 1.0 minute to 30.0 minutes.
 5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the duration of the pulses is 1.0 millisecond and the pulses have a rectangular waveform.
 6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the pules is 10.0 volts and the frequency of the pulses is 200 pulses per second.
 7. A method as in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the pulses is from 5.0 to 10.0 volts and the frequency of the pulses is 10.0 pulses per second. 